Dave and Lillian Brummet offer tips, interviews and resources to inspire hope in individuals; helping them realize the value of their efforts, encouraging them to become more positive, proactive in life.

Pages

Friday, July 31, 2015

Are you carrying on a
business which you feel needs much tweaking in order to achieve a profitable
future? You are only one among many entrepreneurs who are going through the
same ordeal. It makes most entrepreneurs question whether it is worth all the
time, effort, and money spent on trying to sustain a business despite the low
sales they are experiencing.

Those who have made
notable successes in their business ventures advise against nurturing doubts
and desperation. In fact, whenever you are feeling any kind of doubt,
successful business owners say you should turn those doubts into positive
thoughts and ideas on "how to make my business better." In fact, here
are some ideas on how to remain optimistic and become like some of the world's
most successful entrepreneurs.

1. Find ways on how you
can emphasize your products' or services' importance according to society's
present needs and demands. More than having an amazing product, it is more
important to market the product based on how it can improve people's lives.
Some of the ways by which you can show such significance include demo videos,
infographics, and other kinds of media. People are most likely just waiting for
something placed in action before actually putting their money into a certain
product or service.

2. Always aim for
improvement on your brand's customer service. There is nothing wrong with using
the usual approaches but it won't hurt to add an extra kick. Offering something
extra would be a good start. Japanese community convenience stores, for
example, have established small but secure library or play area for parents who
bring their children to shop so that the kids can have something to occupy
themselves with while the parents are busy shopping.

3. Always consider the
customer's point of view when creating products and services. Do not zero in on
profits right away because profits mostly follow after customer satisfaction.
It is always smarter to consider whether a certain product or service
"should" be done rather than that it "could" be done. An
established product could easily be tainted with one wrong decision.4. Be as unique as you
can. Do not be content on just being good or even better at something but
always challenge yourself and your business to create something that no else
can create.

5. Be a business that is
helpful and friendly. Establish a sense of community among yourself, your
employees and your customers. People will patronize a business that they feel
connected with or that understands what they need. Inspire your customers to
share your products and services on their personal blogs or other social media.
Urge your clients to share their experiences with others and with you as well
as to give you a feedback in order to help you improve your business.

By
improving your business, you get more clients, and with more clients, you know
you have a business that makes more money.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

I first responded to Tiger Elite’s (marketing company) offer
on June 16th to do a review for Press
Café’s French Coffee Press. Scottie Rae, Co-Founder Press Cafe of MSG Market Source, was a
pleasure to work with; there was really good marketing and customer service
involved here. Press Café is a small family
run business. In doing some research on the company I learned that they support
the Wounded Warrior Project and also Children’s Cancer Research charities. You can find out more about the company at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MSG-Market-Source/750130948418757

I absolutely love coffee presses. The only electricity used is in boiling the water and you can put jsut the amount of water you need in the kettle rather than bringing a full kettle to boil. Or if you have a wood stove going in the cooler months you can heat the water in a pot on the wood stove instead. You can easily make one or two cups at a time (most presses only do 2 coffee cups worth). The loose coffee grounds are wet and easy to swish out with a little water, dumping them on an outdoor plant, on the lawn, or in the compost bucket. There is no excess steam staining the underside of kitchen cupboards (like most machines do), no noisy gurgling, and there's no risk of overheated and wasted coffee or stale coffee getting burned on which happens when a machine is left on. Another ecological point for presses is that there are no filters involved, saving money and reducing our impact on the environment.

We picked the press up on July 4th
via postal service a couple miles on the US side of the border (we’re located
in Canada), which happened to be when we were crossing the border again, but
the shipping order stated it was estimated to arrive on June 24th,
and Amazon is pretty good about being accurate about that.

The coffee press arrived
packaged in a white cardboard box wrapped securely in bubble wrap. All the
packaging was recyclable… including the cardboard shipping box (5.5” High -by-
7” Wide -by- 10” Long).

It came with an
additional screen and a long stainless steel coffee ground scoop with an
interesting serrated clip for clipping on the coffee bag (I assume). This also
means the scoop not only seals the bag but is always kept with the bag so you
don’t have to search in a drawer for it.

coffee spoon and extra screen

Also came with
instructions offering 7 steps to using the coffee press. Although I’ve been a
coffee consumer for more than 30 years I actually learned something from the
instructions.

This product has a beautiful
design… we’ve had several coffee presses over the years as we are true coffee
lovers but never came across one so well designed – this one had the additional
benefit of a vented lid, which could be used to screen out any stray coffee
bits. It also aided in making the coffee flow better when pouring, it is the
only press we’ve used that didn’t spill or dribble in some way.

Their stainless steel
screen is much more fine than our other 2 (one for camping one for the house)
and that means less sludge in the coffee cup. Of course if you use course
ground coffee there is less of an issue with sludge, but course ground is not
easy to find in grocery stores and getting an even grind in a coffee grind
machine doesn’t always result in consistency. The screen is also designed so
that no grounds will escape into the cup.

Interestingly, most coffee
presses can also be used for loose-leaf tea, enabling a person to really enjoy
a wide array of flavors and beverages. This aspect appeals to us as gardeners
as we do dry a lot of our own herbs harvested from the garden and landscape
beds.

I found the press is easily
disassembled, although the glass carafe fit pretty snug, and the whole thing
can be cleaned in the dishwasher. The carafe is specially designed for high
heat resistance (up to 180˚). The only
possible note I should make here is that in the 3-part screen system there is a
bump in the design, literally – a bump. I checked our other 2 presses and neither
had this bump. I’m sure it isn’t going to be an issue, though.

Not sold on Amazon.ca yet,
but you can find it at Amazon.com – where it has a list price of $39.97 US but
is currently on sale for$ 25.97.

I prefer this coffee press of the other two we
own – there’s no mess when you pour and the bottom of the coffee cup has less
sludge in it.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

* Today we have the pleasure of presenting: Wendy Van Hatten - a published author and international travel writer
and blogger. She holds the position of Editor
in Chief for Prime Time Living
Magazine, as well as being the wine, food, and travel writer for WE Magazine. She is on the board of the Bay Area Travel Writer Organization, a
professional travel writer and photographer organization. For more information
about Wendy and her books visit: www.wendyvanhatten.com.

Q: Do you belong to a writers’ group? A: Yes, I belong to a writers’ group. It is a small but
productive group of writers, who offer feedback and critiques.

Q: How long have you belonged to this group? (how you found
them, why you joined & the process of becoming a member).A: Originally, I attended a large group of writers of
various genres, who meet weekly. My schedule doesn’t allow for weekly meetings
and I felt I was not contributing to the group. Out of this group three of us
decided to form a more concentrated group. We meet monthly, take turns with our
writing projects or manuscripts, and dig deep into everyone’s writings.

Q: Where do you meet? How often? What do you do there?A: Each month we focus on one writer. Our manuscript or
parts of it are emailed at least one week ahead of the meeting time. This
allows time for the others to review, take notes, ask questions, or answer
questions the writer has put forth. We may need assistance or confirmation of a
plot, or we may need help with our characters, or we may need a big picture
view from an uninvolved party.

Q: Where do you see yourself with your writing in five
years?A: Even though writing has always been a part of my life,
writing is my second career. My travel writing is one piece and my mystery
writing is another piece. The outlets and formats are different, but I incorporate
my travels into my mysteries. I see myself continuing with both types as long
as possible.

Q: What advice would you give for aspiring authors?A: It sounds like an overwritten cliché, but you need to
write. Really. And, you need to read. If you really like reading historical
romances, but you want to write sci-fi…perhaps you should start reading sci-fi.
When you have
figured out what you are writing, take some time to do several things. Make a
working outline; one that probably will change as you write. Try to get as many
general ideas as possible about your manuscript written down. The same applies
if you are writing an article as well. Do you have a message you want your
reader to hear, are you encouraging your reader to take action, or are you telling
a story?Then, make a
list of characters. Give them names, personalities, and descriptions. Make your
reader see them. Don’t just tell your reader the main character is tall and
thin. Show the reader he has to duck when he enters a doorway. This is a start.
It can all change and grow as you write. I also suggest
having a team you work with as you write. These could include a writers’ group,
perhaps another writer to bounce ideas off of, a proofreader, a marketing
individual or group, and a very important piece…at least one editor. More team
members may be necessary depending on your type of writing

Q: Tell us a bit about your passions in life.A: I have several passions. Travel, writing, cooking, wine,
gardening, my husband, my kitty…and combinations of all of these. These surface
daily, whether I am writing, traveling, cooking, gardening, or learning about
new wines and drinking favorites. My husband and my kitty often make
appearances in my mysteries…only they don’t know it.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Michael, customer rep with NanoNutra, worked with me on getting this product review here for
you today. The product was ordered on June 11, but didn’t arrive until June 20th.
Unfortunately it was shipped from Amazon.com in a cardboard box that was easily
3 times the necessary size with 6 Air-Plus
brand bubble balloon things used for packaging. I felt that was a lot of wasted
space and packaging – although it was recyclable.

The body gradually loses its normally efficient ability to
process vitamin C from foods as it ages, and this vitamin is essential to
support the immune system, prevent and fight diseases and cancer, support
collagen production, improves energy levels, protects skin and joints, ease
healing, enhance healthy gums and teeth, and support brain and circulatory
systems as well. Vitamin C is also a powerful anti-oxidant, fighting free
radicals and damage from chemicals, alcohol, exposure to natural elements and
aging.

You can be confident with this product because it has no
GMO’s, corn, soy or BPA and is GMP certified. It is sweetened with natural
diabetic friendly stevia leaf extract, is made in the US and comes with a money
back guarantee.

It is important to note that care should be used when
opening the bottle – the product is in liquid form and could be under pressure
if temperatures are too warm. The shelf
life for this is really only about 60 days, it does need to be refrigerated
after opening. Shake well before using; you can mix the suggested serving (1
tsp. twice daily) in juice if you prefer.

Through the company website (www.nanonutrausa.com) the product comes
in several cost-saving packages: 60 servings; one bottle, at $49.99 (US), 180
servings; 3 bottles, at $134.97, and 240 servings; 4 bottles at 159.99. Each 1
tsp. serving is about 15 calories and can be given to men, women and children. However
on Amazon.com I noticed while the list price is $89.99 for a 10.15 fl. oz.
bottle, it is currently on sale for $59.99(US). Unfortunately it is not listed
on Amazon.ca.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

* Written by: Joel
Arnold; his articles and writing have appeared in dozens of magazines and
websites. Check out his blog at http://authorjoelarnold.blogspot.com

Are you gearing up for a
garage sale? A little simple preparation goes a long way to holding a
successful sale.Here are 5 tips to make
yours better, easier and more lucrative!

1. AdvertisePlace an ad in your local
paper a week before your sale. These are often quite cheap, and many newspapers
not only carry a special section for garage sales, but also post them online.

Speaking of online, place
free ads on websites like Craigslist, GarageSaleFinder and YardSaleTreasureMap.
Take advantage of Twitter and Facebook as well.2. Good Signage

Invest in at least
half-a-dozen signs to point potential customers directly to you. Your local
hardware or big box store most likely carries these - many with big bold words
proclaiming GARAGE SALE above an arrow and a place to write your address in
marker. Some also come complete with a metal holder and stake that you can
insert into the ground.

Place these at major
intersections near your house, making it clear exactly where you're located.
You may even want to hang colorful balloons at the end of your driveway, so
that your customers know they've found the right place.

3. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Seller!)When selling items like
clothing or books, there's no need to mark every item. Make it simple for you
and your buyers with a few signs placed strategically around the garage.

For
example, put a sign above and next to the clothing marked with items for sale
and prices:Kids pants - $1.00Kids t-shirts - $.50Adult pants - $2.00Same with books. Make one
sign with a price for paperbacks and a slightly higher price for hardcovers.

Repeat with other items
for which there are multiples of. Make sure to give copies of these price
sheets to the person handling the cash as an easy reference guide.

4. PlacementPlace large, eye-catching
items like furniture out front on the drive way. Many people will drive by
looking for that sort of thing, and if they don't see anything from their car
that catched their eye, they won't even bother to stop and look inside at the
rest of your sale.

5. TimingMost people hold garage
sales on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. These are the days that buyers
expect. Thursdays are typically the busiest days, when the serious buyers come
looking for a good deal. Open your sale early, no later then 8 or 9am. Opening
at 7:00am allows you to catch people on their way to work.Another thing to consider
is competition. If your neighborhood is holding a massive community garage
sale, realize that you will probably not make nearly as much money compared to
holding your sale a week ahead. Otherwise, you'll be competing with all of the
other sales. There's no rule, however, that says you can't have two sales; a solo one, and during the neighborhood-wide sale.Follow these simple
steps, open up that garage door, and wait for all of that traffic to beat a
path to your garage!

Friday, July 24, 2015

I was thrilled to
hear from Eric Burk, co-founder and CEO of the Keep Tight company (based in Castle Pines, CO – US) with the
opportunity to review their fantastic hoodie. Keep Tight specializes in fitness
and health clothing for women who are hardcore fitness enthusiasts. They
produce high quality, comfortable clothing using cutting edge technologies and
fabrics. Eric and his wife Melanie, began this business together based on their
own experiences with clothing that had inadequate support, were unflattering,
dysfunctional, and clothes that contribute to chafing, rubbing or bouncing.

I was sent a confirmation
of the product order by the support team on June 18 sent via FedEx and was told
it would take about 3 days to arrive - it
arrived in 4 business days. KeepTight IronFleece Performance Hoodie I received was “nebula grey and pink” but also
comes in black and pink. It has a retail price of $79.99 (US). Eric was right on top of things
and made sure I received the order safe and sound in the time frame that they
promised and provided all the links you see here in this review today - making
my job a lot easier.

The grey and pink
hoodie fit a little big when I took it out of the bubble envelope, but after
the first washing it fit perfectly. I loved the form fitting style, helping me
feel more feminine. The holes in the long arms were fantastic addition as they
prevent the arms from moving around when working out or doing outdoor
activities. The hoodie is a bit longer than most, too, going down over the hips
a little, but I liked this as it covers everything nicely – no longer needing
to constantly adjust clothing or zippers during activities. The hood itself is
perfectly shaped, without blocking vision or sliding around – increasing
comfort for the wearer. Rather than pull cords, the hood has elasticized cords
looped through a plastic cord lock, like those you’d find on backpacks.

This particular
hoodie is made with a fabric they call “IronFleece”
(95% Polyester, 5% Elastane) because it is ultra strong,
lightweight, and super soft. The fabric allows you to stay cool, wicks moisture
away, but helps you keep the chill off as well. There are internal headphone
grommets from the pockets on the inside of the jacket and a small pocket inside
the side pocket to store keys or a small phone, etc. and it is so attractive
you’ll wear this hoodie for many other activities including shopping around
town.

The stitching and seams
appear to be of high quality and I didn’t see any flaws even with a very close
examination. However it is sewn in China however, which means more fossil fuels
spent in shipping the product. Instructions are to machine was in cold water on
a normal cycle, to not use bleach or softener and to tumble dry on low,
removing promptly.

My final comment:
great quality, superb feel and look – I love this hoodie.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

"We live in an ocean
of air like fish in a body of water. By our breathing we are attuned to our
atmosphere. If we inhibit our breathing we isolate ourselves from the medium in
which we exist. In all Oriental and mystic philosophies, the breath holds the secret
to the highest bliss."

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

... I thought it would be interesting to start a
discussion on what people are doing to conserve water at home or at
work. I posted the following on a local FaceBook group for our valley and had some great responses from people offering tips on what they do... I won't share names for privacy issues nor quote from them, but I will share their tips. I would like to encourage our readers to also share what they are doing here via the comment section and to also share this post online so that more people will be inspired to conserve this precious resource.So here is what I posted originally:I've been keeping a bowl handy for when doing everyday sink
activities from washing hands to rinsing veggies - taking that water
and dumping over the deck or front door on plants & or lawn,
depending on where I "watered" last and what needs it most. I do the
same thing with a bucket, for when I've washed floors or something... of
course I only use eco-friendly all
natural products. Over the last 4.5 years in this home we've updated all
our appliances, faucets, etc. to water savvy ones. Also changed 2 of
our 3 toilets to dual flush. Want to do the other toilet but can't
afford it just yet so we use the other toilets as much as we can
instead. We've got drip hoses on timers for the plants on the deck,
we've got soaker hoses on the landscaped beds with perennials, trees,
shrubs (planted just 1 year ago) outside the fence, and soaker hoses in
the veggie garden too. We dump rinse water from rinsing dishes or
rinsing out recyclables, any liquids left over in cups, jugs or glasses
in our compost bucket. Any water left undrunk in glasses are put in the
pets' watering dishes, and when those pet dishes get a bit mungy we
dump that water on plants or lawn. We've never sprinkled after 9:30 AM
no matter what the water levels are at. ...I also save cooking water;
once cool, I spread it around the lawn or on a plant or two that needs
it. And we used to wash our vehicle by hand, using a bucket and a
sprayer on the hose - on the lawn... before the fence went up. Now we go
to the local car wash place which reportedly recycles their water. I
hope one day to have underground sprinkers put in so the property is
automatically watered between 5 and 7 AM - the most efficient time to
water... but that is one day in the future.

Here are some of things people from the facebook group shared for either conserving water, using it responsibly or capturing water they then use to water plants, etc.:

- placing buckets under taps while waiting for the water to get hot (kitchen sink, shower, etc.) - collect rain water- mulch the garden/landscaping- place a jug of water in the fridge so people don't run the tap waiting for the water to get cold- place a bowl in the sink to capture water from hand washing, rinsing veggies, rinsing dish rags out, etc. - collect and save the water dripping out of air conditioners - refrain from mowing the lawn unless you see weed heads forming seeds; longer grass shades itself, stays greener longer, and needs less water.- take shorter showers, or share showers :) - save dehumidifier water for watering plants- re: toilets... if it is yellow let it mellow - if it is brown flush it down

* ... one more option that I have learned to do recently is to place drip trays under hanging plant pots so that when the water drips out the bottom through the holes in the pot, it is captured by the trays and you can use it to water other plants. I just started doing this the last couple weeks and found that I capture enough water from 3 hanging baskets to serve the watering needs for two outdoor plant pots on the deck.